


Progress

by yuto_da



Series: Pentaseries. [2]
Category: Pentagon (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awkward Conversations, Awkwardness, Best Friends, CUBE!Entertainment, Dancer Kino, Drama & Romance, Eventual Relationships, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Its all about Yuki, Kino's a dancer, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, Past Relationship(s), Pentagon, Slow Build, Slow Romance, Yuto is a technician
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-02-23 09:00:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13186776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuto_da/pseuds/yuto_da
Summary: And right then, just as Kino stood up tall, his eyes and Yuto’s met and Yuto felt his knees weaken. He nearly tumbled onto the floor when Kino gave him a wide smile, showing off a row of nearly perfect teeth, and Yuto knew he really should have stayed at home.





	1. Meet.

**Author's Note:**

> I love Yuki, so much.

Yuto’s job as a technician was hard, but exciting. 

He had had to bulk up rather quickly in the beginning weeks of his career, as lifting heavy equipment necessary for setting up lighting, was not easy and required a hefty amount of muscle and dedication.

Admittedly, when he’d first gotten into the dance business, he’d meant to join as a dancer or a choreographer. He never thought he would be working as a technician.

But, it wasn’t all bad.

There were a few good points. One, was that he had to take better care of his body and that provided him with an easy lifestyle by which doing simple, usually physically-tasking acts, were of no issue. 

Second, his career gifted him with the rare blessing of paid traveling. He got to go to different places, different countries, see new things, see new people, and enjoy the scenery, and none of it came from his pocket. Not to say, he couldn’t pay for it, but Yuto preferred counting his blessings when they came rather than questioning them.

Third point, and probably most important one of all, the dancers.

* * *

 

Yuto’s job varied in different areas. Sometimes he was handling lighting in acting, other times he was doing modelling events, and then there were times he was handling dancing events.

Personally, Yuto loved the dancing events more than any of the others.

The reason behind that was a certain dancer, Kang Hyunggu, or as he preferred to be called, Kino.

* * *

 

Yuto’s first meeting with Kino had been a complete coincidence. 

The morning of his first day off in weeks, Yuto had been woken up by his phone ringing by his ear. He woke up and groggily answered the call, shooting up straight when he heard his boss anxious voice.

Yuto listened intently to his boss’s request and agreed to coming in for the morning only. The lightning technician meant to be doing the job had been in an accident and couldn’t make it, and Yuto was the only worker they had on call. 

Yuto, naturally, hearing how panicked his boss was, and the thought of the future guilt eating away at him if he refused, agreed and said he’d be there in twenty minutes. Hanging up, Yuto threw the covers back and got out of bed and into the shower. He took less than five minutes to shower and get dressed before grabbing a banana, apple and a scone and rushing to his car, turning on the engine and driving off to the CUBE studio.

Arriving at the studio, Yuto parked his car and jogged into the building, up the stairs to the fourth floor where he usually worked, and knocked on the door twice before opening the door and entering inside.

He greeted his fellow staff members and respectfully kept his head down and walked to where his boss was waiting for him, pacing back and forth, face drawn tight in apprehension. 

“Yuto!” Hwitaek called out when his eyes landed on the tall male, eyes nearly filling with water and arms stretched out in a hug. “I’m so glad you could make it here.”

“Yes, of course, hyung.” Yuto said and tentatively tapped his boss’s back. “I said I would.”

Hwitaek laughed at Yuto’s straightforwardness and pulled back. “Well...yes, you did. I meant that you could make it in time before the shooting.”

“What kind of shooting are we doing, hyung?” Yuto moved past Hwitaek and went to change into more appropriate work clothes. “You didn’t mention it on the phone.”

“Ah, I didn’t? ” Hwitaek’s voice trailed off, and Yuto glanced behind him to see the older male on his phone, eyes moving back and forth frantically, searching for something on the device. “Its a photo shoot for some dancers. A new group has been formed and the big boss wants their photos out and circling the internet as soon as possible.”

“Ooh...” Yuto nodded in understanding and stood up and finished adjusting his jumpsuit. “I see. Then, when do we begin?”

“Right now.” Hwitaek began directing Yuto and the other staff workers to their respective places and also handled the make-up artists handling the dancers make-up, hair and outfit. Yuto and the others were ready and waiting ten minutes after the shoot began, and when they saw Hwitaek walk out of the changing rooms and signal them to turn on the lights, Yuto did so and the others followed behind, and the shoot began.

The dancers slowly filed out of the rooms and came up to the set, each dressed in different genre times. There were some dressed in throwback, going back as far as the 60′s, others in the hip-hop 90′s, others in the latest trend, and others passing the current trend and wearing futuristic outfits.

Yuto appraised the artists for their work and each dancer for pulling the look off, but suddenly stopped when his gaze landed on an adorable, short dancer dressed in ‘current time’ in a thick zip-up black hoodie, and an overcoat jacket, cherry and garnet in color. The hood was loosely worn over his head, and the exposed part of his carob-color was messily, yet stylishly done, making him look even cuter than he already was.

The outfit was completed by a pair of black pants, thinly ripped at the thigh, exposing milky white skin, and black shoes with a white lining, making the cool, hip outfit look classy in the most effortless way possible.

“Okay,” One of the photographers called out and directed them to stand in line with each other, four at the back and five at the front. “Let’s get started.” Some of the dancers were taller than the others, and were arranged in chronological order in the progress of height, starting from the shortest to the tallest, and that specific dancer was in the first half.

Yuto knew he was supposed to be doing his job, and he did -not as well as he could have been- but he did anyway and, all the while, he was completely and utterly smitten with the young dancer in red, who -Yuto found out when the photographers called for a break and one of the other dancers, Yeo One, called him- went by the name Kino.

He watched him change pose and expressions like it was nothing, like it didn’t matter, like it was so easy, as easy as it was for Yuto to inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, and Yuto couldn’t help but fall for Kino further.

“Alright!” Hwitaek announced with a swift, loud clap after a handful of hours had passed, “That’s a wrap!”

The dancers all reflexively exhaled in relief and laughed at each other before turning to the staff and bowing deeply, thanking them for their hard work, and standing up tall.

And right then, just as Kino stood up tall, his eyes and Yuto’s met and Yuto felt his knees weaken. He nearly tumbled onto the floor when Kino gave him a wide smile, showing off a row of nearly perfect teeth, and Yuto _knew_ he really should have stayed at home.


	2. Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I know, but,” Yuto hesitated and tried finding the right words to explain the beauty in being a technician. “There’s something magical, wonderful actually, at being able to handle how someone looks. A look is something that everyone has, its something that people describe you as when they see you, be it by your hair, your eyes, your mouth, whatever it is, that’s how people can identify you as, and being in the front of it all was great and all, but the true beauty is in the back. Its in the workers behind the scene, doing their best to portray whatever look it is. And that, is...” Yuto laughed, breathless, and finished his rant, “incredible.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hyunggu and Yuto give me life, clear my skin, water my plants, and removed the bags from my eyes.

Following after the smile, Yuto was practically floating in the clouds. His mind was so far away from the current activities he was engaging in that he very nearly killed himself twice with a toaster and a plate.

Yuto refused to remember what led to that, banishing those embarrassing moments to a deep, deep, deep box and tossed it to the furthest corners of his mind and taped it shut.

Fortunately for him, his job wasn’t suffering due to his inattentive behavior. In fact, it was thriving. He was doing much better than he’d ever done since he began and Hwitaek was truly impressed by him and praised him at every turn, which made Yuto very happy, but a ‘sudden passion for work’ was not why he was doing better.

Kino was.

Yuto had tried to be realistic and hold on to the thought of their next meet-up being months, if not weeks away, due to the hectic schedule of a famous company, but Yuto still had hope, every time he went to work, that he would see Kino, and every time, he never did,

* * *

 

“Yuto!” A voice called out loudly, and Yuto turned around to see who it was, surprise showing on his face when he recognized the voice and extreme height.

“Wooseok-ya!” Yuto waited for the younger male to come closer and pulled him into a tight hug, patting his back enthusiastically. 

“Wah, look at you,” Wooseok leaned back and patted Yuto’s thick arms and chest. “You’ve gotten so big.”

“And so have you,” Yuto chuckled, looking Wooseok up and down, “Did you get taller?”

Wooseok laughed as well and lightly scratched at his nape. “Yeah, a few centimeters.”

“But anyway, how have you been, man? Its been years.” Wooseok asked, falling in step with Yuto as they walked towards the lunch area in CUBE studio. 

“I’ve been good, and you? You look good.” Yuto glanced over at Wooseok and back at his phone. 

“Same, same.” Wooseok said, “How’s work? You’re still in charge of lighting?”

“Yeah,” Yuto nodded and tried ignoring the way his mind twisted Wooseok’s words into something more malicious and hurtful than the simple question it was. “I’m still in charge of lighting. Its really fun actually.”

Wooseok laughed again an slung a hand over Yuto’s shoulders, dragging the older male closer and affectionately rubbing his arm. “You said that the last time I asked you about it.”

“Why do you still want to work there? You can advance so much further than that, you know.” Wooseok said kindly, gently, not as an annoying co-worker but as a friend, as someone who cares.

“I know, but,” Yuto hesitated and tried finding the right words to explain the beauty in being a technician. “There’s something magical, wonderful actually, at being able to handle how someone looks. A look is something that everyone has, its something that people describe you as when they see you, be it by your hair, your eyes, your mouth, whatever it is, that’s how people can identify you as, and being in the front of it all was great and all, but the true beauty is in the back. Its in the workers behind the scene, doing their best to portray whatever look it is. And that, is...” Yuto laughed, breathless, and finished his mindless rant, “incredible.”

Wooseok looked astonished at Yuto’s statement and even took a deep breath. “I didn’t know you felt that way about it, Yuto.”

“Well, yeah.” Yuto laughed and shrugged it off, swiftly changing the subject to more neutral areas as they went down one floor, down two hallways, took one right and another left and reached to the lunch area at one of the empty studios.

The two males were immersed in a conversation about their past in college and high school -coincidentally Wooseok transferred into Yuto’s middle school and the two had been friends and school-mates since- and failed to notice the people inside the room.

“Ah!” A voice called out loudly, “It’s you!”

Yuto and Wooseok looked up together and the former froze in place while the latter looked back and forth at Yuto and the short, dark-haired man, holding a cookie and pointing it at Yuto.

Yuto, on the other hand, was frozen, mentally and physically, in place. He stood there, mouth slightly open, eyes wide, looking at Kino in wonder and astonishment. 

“Its you, from back then, at the photo shoot!” Kino said and came closer, nibbling on the cookie in his hand.

“Ah...” Wooseok said, voice high and questioning. “Who might you be?”

Kino slowly turned away from Yuto and looked at Wooseok, offering a timid, slightly nervous smile. “Hi, I’m Kino, a new dancer at CUBE, please take care of me.”

Wooseok bowed as well and said in response. “I’m Wooseok, director and producer.”

Kino’s eyes widened in surprise. “You’re Wooseok?”

“Yeah,” Wooseok nodded.

“That’s incredible. I’m a huge fan of yours.” Kino said, and went closer and offered his hand out for a shake.

Wooseok looked back at Yuto, still frozen, but his expression was blank and empty, and back at Kino, taking the offered hand and shaking it, “Thank you, I really appreciate it.” “So,” Wooseok nudged his head in Yuto’s direction, “How do you know Yuto?”

Kino’s eyes lit up in acknowledgement and realization. “We met in a shoot, a few weeks back. He was taking care of us.” Kino smiled at Yuto, the kind of smile that made Yuto feel like melting into a puddle of Yuto Adachi onto the floor. 

“Eh..” Wooseok said, eyebrow arched and quickly excused himself from the two to grab a drink and some food. “I’ll be right back.”

Kino nodded and quickly turned that beautiful face towards Yuto and gave him that heart-wrenching smile. “Hi.” Kino said and gave him a small wave.

“...Hi...” Yuto said after a moment, hesitantly smiling and hating himself for it.

“How are you?” Kino asked, “Its been a while since I last saw you.” 

“Yeah...” Yuto replied awkwardly, and quickly changed the topic from him to the dancer. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been incredible. There’s so man things to do now, and there’s also dance practice and going on tour with other artists. It’s been...” Kino released an impressed sigh and looked back at Yuto, eyes shining excitedly, “-so worth the wait.”

Yuto summarized Kino’s training had been longer than most, or the usual but didn’t want to bring up a possibly unpleasant memory, and curved the obvious question there.

“You’re going on tour, already?” Yuto was sure it had been less than a month since he’d last seen Kino when they were debuting. He thought it’d take them months of promoting, and appearances and showing up in some shows before they’d gain sponsors to send them touring, let alone with other artists.

“Yeah.” Kino said and smiled widely, wider than any of the ones Yuto had been graced with. “We started a few days ago.”

“That’s incredible!” Yuto said and congratulated Kino and his team for their achievement. “That is really great. I’m proud of you,” Yuno didn’t notice he was smiling but once those words left his mouth, the corners of his mouth pointed downwards and he stammered a reply. “I-I mean, I’m not proud of you, but I am but not like that,”

Kino watched Yuto blather on foolishly with a cute smile that showed off his rather plump, chipmunk like cheeks. He cut Yuto off with a loud laugh that _resonated_ through Yuto and left him nearly shaking in his boots.

“You’re cute.” Kino said and Yuto became a statue, “You’re so cute.”

Yuto tried responding like a normal human being but was stopped by one of Kino’s fellow dancers calling him over, saying that their break was over and they need to go.

Kino turned and told them to wait a minute, and that he’ll be right there before turning to Yuto apologetically. “I’m sorry, I have to go.” 

Yuto crushed the disappointment in his chest fiercely and waved off Yuto’s apology. “Its fine. Go, you’ll be late.”

Kino nodded and began walking away. He didn’t turn around and walked backwards, somehow managing to avoid knocking into anyone, and kept eye-contact with Yuto. Yuto got the vague feeling Kino didn’t feel like leaving but he refused to think on it. He instead laughed at Kino’s weird way of avoiding the objects in his path, and ignored the fluttering feeling in his gut when Kino waved like lunatic before rounding the corner and disappearing leaving Yuto there, alone, standing in the middle of the lunch room, grinning like an idiot.

* * *

 

“So...Kino...” Wooseok, in all the years Yuto had known him, had never been subtle or cunning and it seems that hadn’t changed in over a decade. “What was that all about?

Yuto busied his hands and mind with assisting the workers in charge of clearing up the set. He grabbed one of the suitcases belonging to one of the artists or photographers and took it to its rightful place. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Yuto said, evading Wooseok question and playing dumb.

“Please, Yuto.” Wooseok was giving Yuto that look of ‘really? after all those years you think you can lie to me’ and Yuto was, just like his question, acting like he didn’t know what Wooseok was going on about. “I saw you practically drooling when you two were talking.”

“I was not drooling!” Yuto turned to look at Wooseok when he said that. He sighed and heaved a heavy bag filled with all sorts of products crucial to some famous person high on his arms, his biceps bulging and flexing with the strain.

“We met during their debut photo shoot.” Yuto said and gave Wooseok a blank stare. “That’s all.”

Wooseok hummed and watched his best friend go off into the back and return dusting his palms. He clearly didn’t believe Yuto and it wasn’t in his nature to ignore things he didn’t believe in or saw a problem with.

“That doesn’t explain why you were frozen, _definitely_ drooling, when he talked to you.”

“That-that is something different.” Yuto stammered over his words and knew exactly when he made a mistake. 

Wooseok grinned and licked off the pudding from the plastic spoon and let it hang from his tongue, using his saliva as pseudo glue. “You like him.” It was no question but a statement and the bright flush and quick movement from Yuto further confirmed Wooseok’s statement.

Wooseok had been one of the first people to be told about Yuto’s sexuality once he’d found out which gender he preferred. Or, Wooseok figured he should say ‘genders’. The realization happened in college when Yuto had been involved with another girl from another school, but came up and told Wooseok, casually but with a hint of anxiety, that there had been a guy hitting on him back in the cafe he’d gone to for a date with his girlfriend, and Yuto’s anxiety sky rocketed when he said he didn’t mind it, and actually enjoyed the male’s company.

Suffice to say, Wooseok had been stunned silent and gaped at Yuto, eyes bulging comically. He ran all the different kinds of words he could say, or the different kinds of statements he could say in that moment, in that situation, but found none. He, genuinely did not know what to tell Yuto or how to comfort him. If that was what Yuto even wanted.

Wooseok was silent for nearly ten minutes; all the while Yuto’s mood worsened but he managed to keep quiet and fidget nervously where he sat. Eventually, Wooseok found his voice and the first thing he said was a disturbing pun involving coffee and cute faces that had Yuto cringing and crumbling onto the floor in laughter and tears. Wooseok figured the tears were from relief and soon found himself joining in on the laughter and tears.

“No, I don’t.” Yuto said strongly and his deep voice brought Wooseok back to the present time. “He’s just an acquaintance. Someone I met at work. A work friend. That’s all.”

“Are you convincing yourself or me?” Wooseok retorted and managed to silence Yuto and use that opportunity to compliment his best friend’s new romantic interest. “He is cute though. Adorable, really. Sort of like a baby in an adult’s body.” 

Yuto grunted and lifted another heavy box and took it to its rightful place, quickly and efficiently clearing up the set before changing and going home. He figured since the taller make had yet to leave, they were both going back together, and mentally, he sighed at the questions he knew were going to come later on.

“Yes, he is adorable, Wooseok, but that doesn’t mean I like him.” Yuto finished soon after taking the third and final box back and taking a quick moment to change out of his jumpsuit and back to his normal clothes.

Wooseok hummed again and went over to the dustbin near the door and tossed his empty desert container and spoon, and waited for Yuto to appear again with his keys and jacket in hand. 

The two walked down several hallways and out of the CUBE building and towards the parking where Yuto’s car was parked at. They entered the car and Yuto started the engine and a few moments after Wooseok said cheekily, “I’m just saying if you need any help with him, I’m here for you.”

Yuto was incredibly tempted to reach over and smack Wooseok repeatedly but held it back and focused on driving them out and away from the parking lot and towards Yuto’s home.


	3. Numbers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gaaah, this got such positive reviews, oh my gosh, i'm so happy!! And to express my gratitude, here is the third chapter. I usually do the third and fourth and then post them, but i hurried the third chapter to post it first as i work on the fourth one.
> 
> I alos might be getting a new beta so please look forward to possibly better chapters with a better flow!

Wooseok ended up extending his stay longer than Yuto expected.

Yuto loved his best friend and treasured the moments they spent together but after  _actually_  interacting with the sweet soul that was Kino, Yuto’s sudden and abrupt desire to be alone _and try to process_ the day’s events, was understandable.

Yuto hosted Wooseok for a few days, and during those days, they fell into a pattern of waking up and going to work together. On some days Yuto came back with Wooseok, but on most days; there were times where Wooseok would stay late directing a new video, or editing some scene out –or in- and Yuto would end up going back home early and getting ready for bed, exhausted by the day’s work.

That was the original plan, the _unspoken_ plan that was agreed on both parts. Or so it was. Until the day Wooseok begged, pleaded and _bribed_ Yuto to stay behind a few hours longer and wait for him so they could leave together, because Wooseok didn’t feel like taking a taxi, and Yuto, the weak man that he was, caved in after Wooseok bought him a variety of his favorite foods from Nagano, Japan.

So, two hours past his usual leaving time found Yuto sitting on the couches in the leisure room, waiting for Wooseok to finish, as he nibbled on an assortment of snacks from Wooseok. Yuto could practically _hear_ how Hongseok would complain and comment on his bad eating habits and Yuto imagined a wall, a great wall, nearly the size of the Great Wall of China, propping up and blocking out Hongseok, and all his suggestions.

Yuto chuckled at the thought, and was startled by the sound of someone snorting and a head poked out from the door leading into the leisure room. Yuto sat up immediately and looked at the door, and felt the embarrassment slowly blossoming in his chest explode into a gorgeous crimson flower when Kino walked into the room.

“What’s so funny?” Kino asked, and walked further into the room, letting the door slowly swing shut after him. He stopped a few feet away, and cocked his head cutely, dark-brown hair swinging in tandem with the action.

Yuto almost froze up like last time but pushed it back _just_ before his body stiffened and he ended clamming up and looking like an idiot. “Ah...nothing...just something a hyung I know said, a while back.”

“Eh...” Kino went over and took one of the many blankets draped over an armchair and went to sit down on the three-seater couch Yuto was currently relaxing in. Stretching out his legs, Kino sat down and draped the cloth over his and Yuto’s legs, the thick fabric instantly warming up their chilled bodies and making them feel more comfortable. “What did he say?”

“Ah, that I should stop eating so much junk like Wooseok and eat healthier foods. And that I have to take care of my body and exercise regularly.” Yuto answered and shuffled around till he obtained some distance between him and Kino, so that his heart wouldn’t spontaneously combust if Kino’s leg accidentally brushed against his.

Kino laughed and teasingly asked, “Why?” And the cute tilt made another appearance. “Does he think you’ll gain weight?”

“Yes.” Yuto’s answer was so straightforward and honest; Kino couldn’t help but laugh again.

“That’s awesome.” Kino said once his laughter subsided and eased into little breathless chuckles. Kino changed the subject and asked the question that had been bothering him since he first saw Yuto there. “But what are you doing here alone, Yuto-ya?”

Yuto was certain his heart would explode, hearing Kino’s laugh, and tried thinking of something other than that and the fact that Kino had just addressed him as an equal, and it was the greatest thing to grace his ears.

“I’m waiting for Wooseok. He’s busy with a project but begged me to stay, and wait for him so we can go back together.” Yuto said and to keep his mouth busy, he grabbed a chip from the packet by his side and tossed it into his mouth and letting the  _crunch, crunch_  sound occupy his ears.

“And you aren’t working with him on the project?” Kino asked innocence clear in his face and gestures. “I thought you handled the lighting.”

“Yes, I do, but not for every project.” Yuto explained, “Only for the ones my boss calls me for.”

“I see.” Kino said and the two descended into a...odd silence. It wasn’t uncomfortable, or tense, nor was it awkward, but rather a lull in conversation, a simple moment taken to compose and reorganize thoughts before jumping back into a conversation.

“How was the tour?” Yuto asked and immediately Kino launched into a long explanation of his most recent tour with an artist from another neighboring company, and just like last time, the excitement was obvious on his face and actions as he talked using his slender fingers to further emphasize the –as he called it-‘awesomeness’ of the tour.

Yuto listened intently, even though he didn’t understand half the things Kino was saying. He didn’t care though. Watching the male act casual and unrestricted around him, someone he just met and barely knew, was more than enough for him.

“And then E’dawn was caught on camera dancing girl dances on camera with me and it went viral.” Kino said, laughing at the memory, “It nearly got a million views.”

Yuto wrote a memo in his mind to go and thoroughly, thoroughly search the internet for that video.

“That sounds fun.” Yuto said, and hated how dead and dull his voice ended up coming out, rather than the actual interest he had and felt for Kino’s wild tales around the country.

“It was,” Kino nodded and asked, “And you? What do you do when you’re not working here?”

“I play baseball, soccer and sometimes basketball.” Yuto said and tossed another chip into his mouth. Yuto took the bag of chips and laid it on the blanket in between his and Kino’s legs, obviously offering the younger male the unhealthy snack.

“You play baseball?” Kino asked, awe in his voice and face. Yuto had a feeling he was the first person Kino knew who played baseball, and that made him incomprehensibly happy.

“Yeah, for 6 years,” And at that, Kino’s awe increased and he nearly climbed onto Yuto in his amazement.

“6 years!?”

Yuto confirmed Kino’s question with a nod and nearly laughed when the shorter male’s eyes began shining.

“That’s awesome.” Kino repeated those words as he slowly went back to his original seating position, back pressed against the armrest, and his slender legs stretched out beside Yuto, while Yuto sat identically to him, feet stretched out and body relaxed on the opposite arm rest, facing each other.

“And you? Other than working here, or dancing, what do you do out of work?” Yuto felt like he was slowly getting to know Kino, piece by piece, and that was a great improvement from his previous admiring and fantasizing. He was even engaging in conversations with him, asking questions and replying to them as energetically as he could.

“I...” Kino looked embarrassed –or shy- and Yuto had never seen a sight more heart-warming than that. “I work at a children’s home when I have the time.”

Yuto’s eyebrows shot up, surprised at Kino’s answer. “You do?”

“Yeah,” Kino rubbed at the tiny black hairs on his nape nervously and looked away from Yuto, as if fearing the taller male would make fun, or tease him for doing something so kind, so selfless and so charitable with no ulterior motives of raising their popularity as a dance group.

Yuno wished Kino would know him well enough to know simple acts of kindness were his absolute weakness.

“That is so...” Yuto trailed off, truly and honestly moved.

“Lame?” Kino finished dryly and looked up at Yuto with a blank face, and dead eyes, as if he was already prepared for a barrage of hurtful insults.

“No!” Yuto wondered which high-class asshole could have said that to cause such a despondent and downcast reaction. “Of course not!  It’s not lame!” Yuto said in a calmer voice, “It could never be lame.”

“That is the nicest thing I’ve ever heard a famous person do.” Yuno continued and daringly reached out to touch Kino’s hand, gently comforting the clearly hurt male. “The greatest part about that is that, you’re not doing it for popularity, or because you recently debuted as a dance group, or anything.”

“You’re simply doing it because you want to do it, because it  _means_  something to you, and that,” Yuto squeezed Kino’s hand and made him look up at him and made him maintain eye contact. “-is far more incredible and awesome than a baseball player.”

Kino flushed brightly, and the color looked marvelous on his pale skin, and in tow with the fuscia color on his lips, the sudden tinge of apple color on his slightly plump cheeks popped, and Yuto saw himself falling even further down the endless rabbit hole that was Kang Hyunggu.

“Ah...Seriously,” Kino laughed and covered his face and turned to the side. “Why would you say that?”

Yuto didn’t know why but he, affected by Kino’s infectious laughter, also began laughing and soon the two were laughing like mad beasts; Yuto’s a loud, slightly-high pitched laugh, while Kino’s was a loud, head-thrown-back, full-on laugh. Yuto had never heard of a laugh so perfectly Kino-like.

“Because it’s true,” Yuto said simply and shrugged. “I was just sharing my opinion, and I honestly still believe what you do is truly great.” Yuto was still holding onto Kino’s hand and when he squeezed Kino’s hand and felt Kino squeeze it back; the idea of this crazily talented, funny, charming, adorable, sexy dancer liking him back did not seem like such a far-fetched idea.

* * *

 

Wooseok, in addition to being loud, clumsy and honestly speaking, naive, was also oblivious, _and_ had no sense of time or mood, _just_ happened to walk into the room that moment. That moment, that exact moment, when he and Kino were holding hands and enjoying the light ambience in the air.

Wooseok walked in and consequently destroyed the entire mood and made him and Kino split apart, and sit with three seats in between them and leaving Yuto feeling lonelier than before and a bit resentful towards Wooseok.

“Hey, Yuto! Do you remember that-” Wooseok entered the room, eyes facing down towards his phone but they rose up when Yuto didn’t reply, and Wooseok understood why when his eyes fell upon the untidy mess that was Kino and Yuto.

“Ah...shit.” Wooseok cursed and tried walking back out but it was too late for him to retake his actions. “I’ll just go.”

“Wait, Wooseok-ya,” Kino called out and threw back the cover and stood up. He went over to Wooseok and said, a reassuring smile in place. “There’s no need. I was leaving anyway.” Kino bypassed Wooseok and began heading towards the door when he suddenly stopped, swiveled around, and went back to where Yuto was sitting at, stopping directly in front of Yuto’s feet.

He held out his hand expectantly and waited for Yuto but got annoyed when Yuto, oddly enough, kept a potato chip on his palm instead of what he actually wanted.

“Why?” Kino let out a laugh, and looked down at the chip questioningly and then back at Yuto. “That’s not what I wanted.”

Yuto’s expression became confused and he looked at Kino’s flawless palm oddly. “I don’t understand.” He looked back up at Kino, “What did you want?”

Kino exasperatedly but fondly rolled his eyes and gave Yuto a look like he was a complete, utter idiot, and Yuto was honestly beginning to feel like one.

“Your phone,” Kino said and cheekily rolled his eyes, “-obviously.”

Yuto had an inkling as to why Kino wanted his phone but it was like his mind had short-circuited and his entire body was working on auto-pilot. Yuto saw his hand grab his phone from the couch and hand it over to Kino, but it didn’t feel like it was his own hand, or body.

Kino typed something into Yuto’s phone for a quick second before handing it back and walking out of the room, nodding his head at Wooseok as goodbye, and turning to give Yuto a quick wink and a wave then finally leaving.

“Um...” Wooseok locked his screen and kept his phone aside. “I know I’ve asked this before, but what was that?”

Yuto couldn’t answer, and continued blinking down at his phone. He read the message Kino had typed out several times, before his brain finally decided to let him breathe, and process the fact that Kino had not only saved his number into Yuto’s phone with a small heart smiley, but had texted himself, meaning Yuto’s number was now in Kino’s phone.

Yuto still couldn’t believe what had transpired in the leisure room back at the studio. He was so out of it that Wooseok had to take the keys from him, and drive them back home. Wooseok had said he feared Yuto would suddenly drift off and end up sending them into a ditch or into traffic towards another car, and had promptly taken the keys from Yuto, manhandled him into the car and then into his house.

“Hey, Yuto,” Wooseok called and tapped Yuto’s arm twice, trying to get the male’s attention back onto earth and on him. “Are you okay? You’ve had this dazed look on your face the entire way from the studio.”

Yuto responded automatically, voice strangely bleak and dead. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“I’d believe you if you looked at me and said that, Yuto.” Wooseok muttered and watched as Yuto responded to his request and turned his head to look at him, but there was no difference. Yuto’s attention and vision were obviously elsewhere, and Wooseok didn’t see him getting Yuto to focus.

“Never mind,” Wooseok shook his head and got up from the seat and went to the bathroom to shower, leaving Yuto sitting in the dining room alone, but Wooseok wasn’t overly worried about his current state.

 He knew if Yuto wanted help, he’d come to him immediately and Wooseok wouldn’t hesitate to assist in any way he could. That was the beautiful thing about their friendship. They didn’t need to say everything out loud, but they would always say the important things, and Wooseok had strong faith in that, and let Yuto be.

A few minutes went by after Wooseok’s departure, and Yuto continued sitting there, staring blankly at the wall when he was interrupted by his phone vibrating in his pocket, and the screen lit up with a notification. The sudden vibration startled Yuto from his thoughts and made him blink twice before reaching into his pants pocket and taking out his phone.

Yuto unlocked the device and pulled down the notification bar, wondering what kind of person would be awake and texting him at nearly midnight. It turned out that kind of person was the one responsible for the turmoil currently ongoing inside of Yuto.

The message read:  _‘hi.’_

Such a simple word, less than three letters, barely above being a letter and used by eight billion people. Something so small and meaningless yet so incredibly powerful in Yuto’s eyes, nearly made him jump up, whether in joy or fear, Yuto didn’t know.

He looked at his phone, at the message, for what felt like hours but in reality was less than five minutes, wondering what to say, and how to say it. He could say something as simple and basic as another ‘hey’ but Yuto didn’t want to sound overly casual, like he didn’t care or that he was trying too hard _not_ to care.

Yuto glanced up at the clock on the right-corner and saw more than five minutes had passed since Kino first texted. He was wasting time trying to reply to a simple text, a basic greeting. Yuto took his phone and quickly typed out the first thing his mind thought of before locking the screen and leaving it face-down on the table.

A few seconds later, his phone vibrated with another incoming message and a few more went by before Yuto gathered the guts to unlock his phone and read it.

_‘took you long enough.’_

Yuto’s heart had originally been past what most considered the norm when he received Kino’s message, but seeing that, seeing Kino slyly mention that he’d been waiting to text him and to get a response, did  _things_  to Yuto.

 

 _‘i’m sorry_ ’ Yuto wasn’t entirely sure why he was apologizing, but he felt like it was the properthing to say, considering the circumstance. Yuto’s slender but strong fingers hovered over the message board, inching forward as if to type, but he didn’t know what to say.

He was saved from his miniature crisis when his phone vibrated with another incoming text. 

_‘hahaha, why are you apologizing? You didn’t do anything wrong’_

He laughed. 

He laughed, and Yuto’s cheeks, face, ears and generally his entire body turned a beautiful pink color. Yuto had accomplished many things in his life, or at least he thought he had, and none of them felt quite as satisfying as making Kino laugh.

_‘but i kept you waiting...’_

_‘that’s not your fault. you did nothing wrong. i was_ _just teasing you.’_

Yuto wasn’t quite sure on how he felt being teased by someone younger than him. He was about to respond when Kino messaged him again, and what he wrote had Yuno’s eyes widened in shock and an extreme sensation of bliss and joy coursing through his veins.

_‘i wanted to text you as soon as i got your number but i thought it would be weird.’_

Yuto couldn’t help but get the feeling that he wasn’t the only one interested…But at the same time his mind couldn’t let go of the idea that it could be a lie. He  _knew_  it could just be a joke. A cruel,  _unbelievably cruel_ and heartless joke, but looking at his phone, seeing how quickly Kino responded to him, and how he came over -even if he didn’t have to- when Yuto was alone in the leisure room and kept him company till Wooseok finished, Yuto couldn’t help the feeling of hope rising in his chest that maybe, just maybe his feelings weren’t one-sided.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think about this chapter in the comments down belooow~~


	4. A date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I deleted the previous chapters since the flow was lost around here and redid the story again. I prefer this version and will stick to the cute development of yuto's and kino's relationship. please look forward to it!!

Texting with Kino was something Yuto came to love and deeply desire at each and every moment. Regardless of where he was, or what he was doing, Yuto found himself seriously -and questionably- into texting with the younger male.

The weirdest part about his newly discovered hobby was that Kino never failed to blatantly give out signs that he enjoyed doing the same. A cute heart emoji there. Shamelessly complementing Yuto. Speedily replying even when he was clearly at work and was bound to get into trouble for it. Kino never, ever failed to reply Yuto’s text. And on the rare occasions he did was mainly due to his responsibility as a dancer and also to his current location that changed almost on a daily basis.

Yuto had been kindly informed by Kino of their schedule change that left them with more promotions in prefectures around Korea and internationally, which meant Kino was almost rarely in Seoul, or in the company, which also meant that Yuto couldn’t see him.

He had originally been fine with seeing Kino’s lovely face once or twice a month, it was what kept him going through the long arduous days of work, but the sudden, and frankly saddening change had him sighing and feeling down more than ever before. 

Yuto knew the feeling he felt was loneliness after having being acquainted with it more than once, but it felt worse than that. What he felt when he got a text from Kino was happiness and an unbelievable urge to scream that he’d managed to get a beautiful boy’s number and was actively engaging with him, but at the same time, Yuto couldn’t deny that he missed the days, before he got Kino’s number, when the man used to surprise him around the company with his presence.

Yuto was grateful that he could communicate with Kino barely a week after meeting each other, but he really really wanted to see the other man’s face. Yuto wanted to hear Kino laugh - that God-awful laugh that left butterflies swirling in his gut and made him all tingly- and see his eyes crinkle at the corners. 

Yuto made due with what he had and tried avoiding the topic of Kino back in Seoul when they chatted. He didn’t want to ruin the mood by asking in case Kino took it the wrong way and kept it to himself, preferring to whine and cry about it to Wooseok, who was still living with him, nearly two weeks since he’s return.

* * *

“Dude, how long are you going to cry about this?” Wooseok sipped on his coffee and gave his best friend an exasperated look. “It’s not even like he’s dead, or he moved away or permanently left the country, he’s just on a tour!”

“You don’t get it.” Yuto whined and sniffled. “It’s not that he’s dead, or that he moved away, or left the country, Wooseok-ah. I just miss him. I miss his face. I miss his laugh. I miss hearing him call my name.” Yuto sniffled again and buried his head into his arms. “I just miss him.”

“Ugh.” Wooseok rolled his eyes and kicked his friend’s shin. “Now, you’re just being disgustingly sappy. You barely even know the dude. What if, he’s like a serial rapist? Or like a pervert who likes spying on people shower?”

Yuto kicked Wooseok’s shin in retaliation and lifted his head. “He’s not! Kino’s not a rapist or a pervert!”

“How can you be so sure?” Wooseok persisted and took another sip of his coffee. “Like I said, you barely even know him, how sure are you he’s not after you just for your body?”

“This isn't one of those shitty movies we watched as teenagers, Wooseok-ah.” Yuto replied and sat up straight, fixing his best friend with his special  _ ‘i know more than you do’ _ look, he said, “Kino’s a good person. I know that.”

Wooseok nodded and playfully kicked the bottom of his friend’s shoe with his own. “Okay, say he isn’t a rapist, serial killer, murderer, pervert or anything like that, what makes you so sure he’s a good person? You two have talked like twice in nearly four months, that doesn’t make him a good person.”

Yuto remembered that day in the leisure room with the warm blanket draped over their legs and the look Kino had when he told him about his side hobby. Yuto knew Wooseok had a point, and he really didn’t know Kino at all, but there was no way someone who looked that scared of being mocked was a bad person. There was just no way.

“It’s actually been three times.” Yuto said and got another kick.

“Were you actually counting them?” Wooseok asked, incredulously, and Yuto shrugged, further confirming Wooseok’s question. “Anyway, the times you talked isn’t important, but what you talked about is, and from what you told me, there’s nothing he said that can deny him being a rapist, serial killer, pervert or a murderer.”

“There’s nothing that can say he is either!” Yuto briefly wondered when this conversation got this point and tried bringing it back to the original problem and reason as to why they were both in the lunchroom, moaning and crying about a certain dark-haired dancer. “Trust me, Wooseokie,” Yuto said, using the nickname he knew Wooseok despised with a passion. “Kino is a really good person. I know that.”

Wooseok sighed and sipped his coffee, slurping up the few droplets stored inside the plastic cup. “Okay, I’ll take your word for it and say that he isn’t a rapist or anything like that, but how do you even plan on meeting him when he comes back from tour?”

“Can’t I just call him and be like,  _ ‘hey, i know a good place to eat, want to join me?’” _

“I mean you can, but isn’t it too casual? Have you guys even spent more than ten minutes together to begin talking so casually to one another?”

Yuto bit his lip and gently chewed on the plump, tight skin. “I mean…” Yuto hesitated and shook his head. “We haven’t but wouldn’t it be fine? I can’t imagine being like,  _ ‘oh hello, kang hyunggu. I know it hasn’t been long since we last spoke in person but i would be extremely delighted if you would accompany me for dinner tonight.’”  _

Wooseok smacked Yuto's arm and kept his empty cup down. “Of course not. I don’t think there’s anyone who would go out with you if you asked that. Hell, even I wouldn’t go out with you and I’ve known you for years.”

“Then what do i do, Wooseok-ah…” Yuto’s head fell onto his arms again as he moaned pathetically. “I really really really want to see him again.” 

“I don’t know, man.” Wooseok said and patted his friend’s shoulder sympathetically. “I really don’t know.”

* * *

Wooseok had left soon after their conversation ended, leaving his best friend with another sympathetic pat on the back and a cookie he swiped from the bakery across from them. He had promised to help Yuto find a solution to his -not that much of a problem if you thought about it- problem and ran off to finish his work.

Yuto remained seated and tried thinking of how to not think of Kino. He knew the man would be gone for a while and he should probably take the time to get his thoughts in order and try to not be swayed by someone he really just met -and almost fell in love with at first sight- but it was hard. It was too hard to not think about someone you spent every second thinking about. 

Yuto was saved from his sappy, and overly cliche thoughts when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He reached for it, head still on his arms, and unlocked it, sliding it underneath the space between his face and the counter and squinted at the screen.

He shot up straight and held his phone, unnervingly close to his face. Yuto blinked twice and re-read the message, unable to believe what he was reading. 

_ ‘hey, i’m coming back to seoul today. wanna meet up?’ _

It was from Kino. Kino texted him. Kino was coming back to Seoul. Kino was coming back to Seoul and wanted to meet him. Kino wanted to go out with him. Yuto’s brain short-circuited and could only stupidly stare at his phone, a blank, dopey look on his face.  Yuto couldn’t believe it. Kino, the man he had a painfully obvious crush on, was asking him out. Him, a lighting technician was going to go out on a date? With Kang Hyunggu, aka, the most good-looking man he’d ever seen? It sounded far too good to be true.

Yuto startled when his phone began vibrating in his hand, nearly dropping it in shock, he held it properly and looked at the cause of the sudden vibration, and this time dropped it when he saw why.  Kino’s name shone proudly on the top of Yuto’s phone, accentuated with one cheesy heart next to it. Kino was calling him. Kino was calling him. Kino was actually calling him. 

Holy shit.

Yuto hastily slid his thumb to the right and answered the call, shakily mumbling out a ‘hello’ as he did.

“Hey, Yuto.” Kino answered, his voice soft and warm. “Did you see my text?”

“A-ah...yes..I saw...the message you sent…” Yuto wanted to smack himself over the head and would have if not for the fact that he was in a public area. 

“And so? Will you come?” Kino asked, voice kind and questioning, almost like a child. 

“I-...I would like to...join you…” Yuto mumbled out, and actually kicked his own leg.

Kino’s laugh greeted him and he felt his body get warm all over again. “Why do you sound so unsure? You don’t have to come if you have something else to do.”

“No, that’s not it!” Yuto feverently denied and said his first proper sentence ever since the call started. “I do! I do want to go out with you!”

Kino laughed again. “That’s a bit fast, Yuto-ah. Take me out to dinner first.”

Yuto’s entire face heated up once he understood what Kino meant and hurriedly rephrased his answer. “Th-that’s not what I meant!! I meant, I would like to go out with you! In Seoul! Together! As friends!”

“Aaww..” Kino almost sounded like he was pouting. “Are we just friends, Yuto-ah? I thought you liked me.”

“I do! I really do!” Yuto said, panicking slightly. “I really do like you!”

Kino chuckled and Yuto could swear he could invision Kino’s smile as he spoke. “I like you too, Yuto. I was just teasing you.”

Yuto huffed out a breath and almost slumped against the counter again, this time out of relief. “Don’t do that..I thought I made you sad or something.”

Kino laughed again, this one shorter than before. “Don’t worry. It’ll take more than you calling me your friend when I’m asking you out on a date to make me sad, Yuto.”

Yuto’s entire face flushed again. He groaned into the phone’s speaker and said, “Please stop saying things like those, my heart can’t handle it.”

Kino laughed, one of his genuine head-thrown back, eyes twinkling kind of laugh, and said, “I’m sorry, it’s too much fun teasing you.” Kino cleared his throat and brought back the conversation to his reason for calling. “So, Yuto, will you go out on a date with me?”

* * *

 

Wooseok had barely turned on his computer whe he felt and heard his door nearly get yanked off its hinges. He looked up, emotionally and mentally ready to thoroughly scold whomever had no respect for his door or the marks left on the wall from how hard the handle connected with it and  stopped mid-way. Wooseok looked at his best friend, who was panting as if he’d ran the entire way up to his office and lifted his brows questioningly. “What’s wrong? Why do you look like you ran the entire way here?”

“That’s because I did…!” Yuto panted out and entered the room, closing the door behind him. 

Wooseok was brought back to the topic of his door and the paint on his wall and asked Yuto about it. “Oi. Why did you almost tear down my door and the wall while you were at it?”

“That’s not important, right now!” Yuto said and slammed his hands onto Wooseok’s desk.

Wooseok quickly grabbed his files before they fell and shot his friend a nasty look. “What on earth could be more important that you had to literally hurl yourself into my office? And stop nearly breaking my things!”

Yuto ignored the second part of Wooseok’s sentence and relayed what happened downstairs. “Kino asked me out on a date!”

Wooseok’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “When? Right now?”

“No, no.” Yuto shook his head. “When I was downstairs, just after you left, he texted me and asked me out.”

“Are you sure it’s a date? Maybe he’s just asking you out as friends or acquaintances?”

“I thought the same thing until he called me nearly two minutes after he sent the text and clearly stated that it was a date.” Yuto countered and Wooseok’s eyes opened wide.

“No way. He did? He really seriously asked you out on a date?”

“Hey.” Yuto frowned and removed his hands off Wooseok’s desk and crossed them over his chest. “You make it sound like I’m a horrible person to go out with.”

“Of course you’re not.” Wooseok waved Yuto’s response and got up, going around his friend to the dispenser, he got two plastic cups and filled them with water before giving one to his friend and taking the second one for himself. “You’re a catch. I’m just wondering if he really did it himself.”

“And besides, didn’t you say he was on tour? Why is he asking you out on a date while he’s on tour?”

Yuto graciously accepted the water and chugged it back in one go. “He said they were given a day off before they left the country since it would be a while before they returned to say their goodbyes properly.”

“Why does it sound like he’s been shipped off the the army instead of going on a tour?” Wooseok mumbled to himself and turned back to Yuto. “And he’s decided to spend the day with you before he goes? Wow, you must be over the moon right now.”

Wooseok’s voice was blander than stale bread when he said that but he took one look at his friend’s flushed, excited face and smiled slightly. Wooseok wondered when Yuto would realize and accept that he was thoroughly whipped for the dancer, and judging from the other man’s actions, it seems the feeling was mutual.

“I don’t think I’ve breathed properly ever since the call ended. Wait, even before that, when I first got his text, I almost dropped my phone and actually dropped it again when he called.” Yuto answered seriously.

Wooseok snorted and turned on his computer. He looked at his friend while he was waiting for his computer to turn on and said, “Then, where are you guys going? Did he tell you? Or is it a surprise?”

“He said that we’d meet at that flower shop in downtown and then we’d go out together.” Yuto responded and looked at his best friend seriously. “What do I do, Wooseok-ah? What will I wear? What if I get lost on my way there?”

“Calm down, you dork.” Wooseok chastised and looked at his computer. He typed in his password and waited for the home screen to open. “It’s not like it’s the first date you’ve ever gone to, right?”

“Of course not.” Yuto ran a hand through his hair and made sure to remember to wash it when he got home. “But it’s the first with someone so beautiful, Wooseok. I don’t want to make a fool of myself.”

“You’ve been fawning over him ever since you met him. I think you’re way past that point.”

“Shut up. You know what I mean.” 

“I do.” Wooseok looked up from his computer with a sigh and stared his best friend down. “And I also know you’re worrying over nothing.”  “This dude likes you. The clumsy, confused, weird you. If he’s going to judge you over how you look or dress then there’s no reason to even go out with him.”

“I can’t tell if you’re trying to lift my spirits or tear them down.” Yuto mumbled out.

“Shut up, I’m trying to give you a boost of confidence, you ungrateful cow.”

“Hey! I’m not that big!” Yuto countered and glared up at Wooseok.

“I didn’t mean it literally, you absolute dolt.” Wooseok rolled his eyes and looked back at his computer. “Listen to me, Yuto. You’re a weird dude, I won’t deny that, but you’re also one of the most-hardworking and kind people I know. Kino would be  _ lucky _ to go out with you.”

Yuto’s face softened from the compliment and he smiled softly at Wooseok. He stood up and went around the desk to encircle his friend in a tight bear hug, swinging him back and forth on his chair as he did. “Aaww. I didn’t know you felt that way about me, Wooseokie. It’s really sweet.”

“Ugh. Get off me. You’re choking me.” Wooseok whined but tightened his hands around Yuto’s waist, returning the hug. 

Yuto let go of Wooseok and moved back a few steps. He looked down at his phone, a small smile pulling on his lips as he recalled his and Kino’s conversation. Yuto looked up at Wooseok and smiled brightly, tiny teeth exposed, and said, “Thank you, Seok-ah. I’ve just figured out what I’ll wear for today.”

Wooseok narrowed his eyes suspiciously but let his suspicions die within him. It seemed his friend had already set his mind on something and Wooseok would rather not break his back trying to convince him out of whatever it was and just let it be. Yuto was sure to return and tell him everything that had happened.

“Okay then.” Wooseok said and waved at Yuto’s retreating back as he walked towards his door. “Best of luck on your date!!”

 

In his rush to tell Wooseok what happened, Yuto forgot he had taken a short break that had now extended nearly 5 times the amount. He couldn’t be bothered to care though, his heart, mind and body were comfortably floating in the clouds at the thought of meeting Kino later that night.  Yuto still felt like he was living a dream. The boy he liked had asked him out and had engaged in flirtatious banter as he did. Not only that but, the same boy chose to spend his last day in Seoul for a while with him and him alone. Not with his friends or his family, or even with a significant other, but with him, a colleague he’d met and talked to a few times at work. 

Yuto sighed and automatically walked down the stairs to the elevator, hoping to take it downstairs to his workplace. Yuto vaguely recognized that he was running almost three hours late and should have been at work a while ago and that he should probably feel or be worried but he had other things occupying his mind.

* * *

Naturally, Yuto got chewed out by his superior when he returned and was made to work thirty minutes longer in recompensation. Yuto agreed, seeing as it was only thirty minutes and not two hours like he had expected, he went to work and before he knew it, his superior was calling for them to stop and get changed and go home.

Yuto rushed to his locker and changed out of his work clothes and into his normal clothes. Rushing out of the building, he jogged to his car, got in, and sped to his house. Yuto parked his car and got out. Running to the building, he took two stairs at a time and nearly knocked his door down in his rush.  Yuto hurled himself into his bathroom and took one of the quickest yet thorough bath he’d ever taken and went to his bedroom to change. Yuto spared a second to look at his phone and sighed in relief. He still had twenty minutes remaining. That was enough time to change and leave the house and hopefully make it to the location in time. 

Yuto turned back on his phone and looked at his closet. He dug around for one of his good jeans, a black one that was ripped at the thigh on his left leg and underneath his knee on his left. Yuto dug around his drawers for his chains and looped them around his jeans, one hooked at the waist band and dangled loosely around his hip and another one, he hooked a random key through and let it hang on the other side. 

Yuto dug around in his closet and pulled out his short-sleeved black pull-over shirt. Yuto wore the shirt and dug even deeper for a white long-sleeved shirt. Yuto wore the white shirt over his black one and adjusted the black pull-over. He tucked most of it underneath the white shirt and grabbed a light black cardigan. 

Yuto looked at his reflection in the mirror next to the wall by his window and nodded appraisingly. He looked nice, his obsession with black was clear to see, but he still looked nice. Yuto checked his upper half out and was proud of how good his body had become if the tight, almost straining way the pullover showed off his chest was anything to go by. 

Yuto grabbed his black ankle-length socks and wore them before swiping his black and white Vans and exited the house, keys swiftly spinning around his forefinger. He prayed he would be able to make it in time, and set off to downtown where Kino was waiting for him.


End file.
